


Awakening

by EyesOverEons



Category: Bleach
Genre: Gen, Hollowification, Light Angst, Self-Sacrifice, Zanpakutou, not sure what genre
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-17 01:15:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29463357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EyesOverEons/pseuds/EyesOverEons
Summary: Zanpakuto are awakened in battle and given shape from their wielders calling out their name.On a cool summer night, while Ichigo is locked in a fight against a red-haired shinigami lieutenant, Zangetsu has his first awakening.
Comments: 9
Kudos: 22





	1. RULE OF THREE

It was night when Zangetsu awoke properly for the first time.

That was the first thing he was aware of.

Night.

A cloudy night.

A storm was on the horizon.

It was night and his wielder was in battle.

His... wielder?

Yes, that was right.

His wielder: The one who would give form to him.

He was...

His senses were still dulled by sleep and disorganized from lack of a proper form. What was he?

Zanpakuto.

The word he could not have known made sense to him. And along with it was a name.

A jolt accompanied the name and three things made themselves known:

Zangetsu: A weapon. A sword. The power to destroy and protect. His self. Familiar.

The Other: An unknown. It was him, but also not. Something about that part of his power felt different. He regarded it cautiously. It regarded him back.

A Hole: An imperfection. Barely perceptible among the thrashing energy that was his wielder's soul, but present nonetheless.

His thoughts circled back to the name- His name- Zangetsu- Slaying Moon.

It was appropriate he awoke at night.

A new emotion- surprise- washed over him as he pondered why it had taken so long for his wielder to awaken him. There had been previous times Zangetsu had felt a tug towards consciousness: once when fighting that hollow with the lure on its head, and later when the competition started by the Quincy lured out a Menos. All those times he had come close.

But now he was awake. Now he was aware.

He was power, and his wielder needed him.

If only his wielder knew his name.

Zangetsu knew he just needed to call out.

His thoughts stumbled for a bit.

How would he call out to his wielder?

His form had yet to solidify, leaving him and the world around as abstract blurs of color and energy and emotion. He extended his newfound senses, trying to figure out who or what his wielder was fighting. Maybe that would help.

His wielder was on the ground, having just received a drastic blow to his left shoulder. Zangetsu winced, feeling the dull pain somewhere in his amorphous body but not quite understanding it.

Their opponent was strong. Not like that was a problem, Zangetsu was strong too. The red-haired shinigami was looming, raising his jagged blade to deal the final blow.

I'm here...

Zangetsu leaned harder against the limits of his wielder's soul.

Call on me.

His wielder slowly pushed himself to his feet.

We'll win together!

Pride and determination swelled in Zangetsu and his wielder. He could feel his vague form trying to coalesce, power solidifying as his wielder subconsciously drew upon his energy.

I am-!

Their power exploded outward, startling everyone in attendance. Zangetsu's wielder took a lunging jump forward, slashing a deep cut in his foe's shoulder.

"I don't know what happened, but I feel great!" His wielder's voice sang out after a few more blows to his enemy.

A different emotion pierced through him like ice. It seemed his wielder hadn't heard him. No problem. He would be able to hear him soon. The ice melted somewhat.

"I don't think I will lose to you!"

Zangetsu could feel his wielder's grin and matched it with one of his own. Sharp teeth and claws began to take shape.

Yes, that felt right. Can't be all bark without any bite to back it up.

His strength grew as the wild energy around him began to press into him, drawing together to a single point, like a star before a supernova. Battle instincts flooded his mind and he felt the heat of adrenaline coursing through him. This was their power. This was their drive. He was alive!

"This is the end!"

His form was almost complete. The space around him was beginning to take shape as well, clicking into place; all that was needed was the final act to seal it in permanence: his wielder to speak his name. He should be able to be heard now.

My name is-!

The laser-focus the two had achieved during the short battle was immediately gone; as was most of his wielder's blade. Zangetsu could feel the emotions of his wielder shift and felt something cold run through him: hesitation.

He wanted to open his mouth, to scream his name at his young wielder. They could win together if only he could hear!

The growing connection was severed before Zangetsu had the chance.

His form collapsed, no longer able to hold itself together without his wielder's draw and reverting back to raw energy. Confusion and fear swirled through his nebulous mind. He tried his best to resist the draw of sleep, trying in vain to do something to stop his wielder's almost-certain death.

If he survives, he will be powerless... Zangetsu wasn't sure how he was aware of that fact, but he knew it was true nonetheless.

The bitter burn of loneliness settled over the sword spirit. He had been so close to actualization. So close to recognition from his wielder. To have awoken and then be pulled away so soon.

His thoughts wandered, trying to remember how it felt to have been almost given a form. He hadn't gotten a good look at himself before it all fell apart. All he could recall were fangs and claws and pure strength before it fell apart.

It wasn't fair.

Zangetsu wouldn't accept it.

I will do anything to protect him. That is my only goal: to make him strong. I will crush anyone who stands in my way.

All throughout, The Other sat silently, watching.

They couldn't resist the pull of unconsciousness any longer.


	2. EAT YOUR OWN WORLD

The second time Zangetsu awoke, there was pain.

No, not pain... That wasn't a strong enough word.

Agony.

His wielder's agony.

Beyond hurt. Beyond tortured. Beyond dead.

And yet, Zangetsu was awake again. He could feel his wielder- muffled and far away- pleading for help.

Zangetsu tried to call for him- comfort him- say _something_ \- but found that he could not.

A tremor ran through him.

_He's dying. No... It's worse than that, isn't it?_

A rift appeared; a tear right through the center of Zangetsu, splitting the raging energy. Several pieces splintered off, sputtering off into the darkness before being consumed. His attention turned to the cause:

The Hole.

It opened up somewhere in the depths of his core, somewhere where Zangetsu and his wielder connected. It was hungry- ravenous- and it began to eat.

Agony wracked through Zangetsu as he was torn apart. Knowing his wielder was experiencing the same only made the pain worse. The rotting cavity would swallow up both him and his wielder if Zangetsu didn't act.

' _There's nothing you can do.'_ A voice, hauntingly familiar, said from somewhere nearby: The Other. The different energy had pulled away, using the forming rifts to separate itself from Zangetsu's main core.

' _What are you saying?'_

Their soul shuddered again. something tugged at Zangetsu's consciousness. He reached out into the darkness, trying to grasp for his wielder. He could _feel_ him begging to be saved, but without knowing how to reach back to accept the offered help, it was useless. Zangetsu could not reach him. Not yet.

He needed more time.

' _Help me stabilize him!'_ Zangetsu shouted at The Other.

The Other thought for a second, then replied: ' _No.'_

' _What do you mean!? You have to help!'_

Laughter. The Other was laughing. ' _I will do no such thing.'_

Fear. Dread. _Agony._

The Other's responde hurt almost as much as the cold blaze slowly spreading from The Hole. Zangetsu couldn't understand. The Other was part of him, right? They were there for their wielder. That was the sole purpose of their existence.

' _I am sorry.'_ The Other said, though its tone implied anything but remorse. It pulled farther away as it spoke, untangling itself from Zangetsu's wild thrall. ' _However, you know what I am. You should know why I can't allow him to access his shinigami powers.'_

Zangetsu saw red. His energy quaked from the strain and from his own emotions. He _did_ know. He always had known. He just didn't want to believe it.

The Hole pulled on him further, preventing him from stopping The Other as it turned, drifting away and compressing into a more solid form.

' _What are you doing!? Where are you going!?'_ Zangetsu could feel himself starting to slip. Confusion and anger spilling over.

' _There are two possible outcomes to this situation without my interference. Either Our Master becomes a shinigami, or he becomes a hollow. I will guide him to the third option, and then I will purify what remains and rid myself of you.'_

Frantic, Zangetsu tried to push the Hole away. Invisible hands grabbed out from it, dragging him back. He could see it, nestled in the shining center of his core- now dulled by a thick white smoke that had begun to pour out and twist like snakes.

Hungry. Ravenous. Demanding.

Zangetsu was trapped, waiting for the end. Flashes of color assaulted his vision as he-

A tall man clothed in black stood in a sideways city, ready for the task ahead. The world was lonely and blue. His wielder was nearby, strong and determined in spite of the damage being done to him.

"Who are you?" His wielder's voice.

"You do not recognize me?" The tall man- _The Other_ \- spoke.

_Wait..._

"Such a shame. You of all people should know who I am."

_No._

"I am..."

_STOP!_

"Ẓ̴͇̻̥̹̎̋͒̈́ͅA̵͇͎̺̱̱̻̖̱͔͛́N̸̢͖͖̫̬͔̭̤̗͉̮̎̂̈́͊̾̐͆̄͑̍G̷̫̈́̂ͅE̶̢͖͕͉͓̗̗̤̟̋̈̕̕Ț̴̬͓̖̦̦̫̞̦̔̊̑͛͌̌͌̇̔̏̚̚͘Ş̶̤͎͕͈̹̭̥̬̈́̌̀̾͆͐̄͆̉͘͝͝ͅU̶̫̣͓̖̘̒̽̒̃̈́̎͠"

_WrongBadStopNo!_

The name broke on the Other's tongue. It sounded like poison and felt like glass in Zangetsu's ears.

_**Unforgivable.** _

The Man continued, "One of these boxes contains your latent shinigami powers. Before you become a hollow, you must find it."

Their wielder couldn't hear The Other's unsaid addition: ' _You must find it, so I can destroy it for good.'_

Zangetsu's energy was failing as his wielder's very humanity crumbled out from beneath him, coinciding with the skyscrapers' collapse. He grabbed at the smoke, trying to push it out of the way, but it only stuck to his energy more. It wasn't just smoke anymore. A white fire had begun to blaze, using Zangetsu as kindling. He tried his best to keep the damage contained.

_It wasn't enough!_ He needed more time! He-

There was a sudden tug on his mind.

Far away, he could feel his wielder... reaching for him? He had been found.

Zangetsu reached back, daring to hope. Maybe if he could make contact before The Other acted...

"What are you waiting for? Pull it out!" The Other shouted.

"I can't, it's stuck!" His wielder replied, frantic.

Alarm prickled through Zangetsu. He could see through the eyes of The Other, standing behind the orange-haired teen, a hand raising slowly. A dark bow materializing.

Zangetsu struggled, but the smoke and flame and decay had tangled him so tightly, he couldn't move.

Rough fingers notched an arrow

Time slowed to a crawl. Zangetsu could feel himself on the verge of annihilation. He wasn't done yet, though. He had enough energy- just enough- to make one final move. One final effort. He exploded his energy outward, aiming it all at the Other. He was stretching his limits, he knew that much, but maybe just maybe, he could reach them in time.

A steady hand began the draw.

His wielder wouldn't know his name.

The arrow blazed with blue energy.

Maybe Zangetsu wouldn't be able to ever reform himself.

The Other took aim right at his wielder's back. Lining up the shot.

But maybe that would be okay.

For his wielder...

For Ichigo...

He would do anything.

It only took a moment to unsettle The Other, a small spike of pure energy embedded into him. The arrow sparked out of existence and it was all the time that was needed as their wielder vanished from the world.

The box was empty.

Zangetsu collapsed, struggling.

"That was foolish." The Other shifted as Zangetsu bled out his energy. It ignited a burning feeling inside him. "You could have fought off the hollowification with that attack instead of coming for me."

' _I know, but if I did that, he would never become strong enough to stand on his own.'_ Zangetsu's resolve was firm. ' _I told you: I'll do whatever it takes.'_

The Other raised a brow, "Even though he regained his shinigami powers for now, you will not be able to stop me again."

' _I know.'_ He would have been smirking if he could, ' _but I won't need to stop you.'_

"What are you-?"

The Other was suddenly overcome with... something... a desire. A feeling implanted by Zangetsu. The briefest flashes of what their wielder _could_ become if given the chance. It was glorious. Its own prior convictions wavered as Zangetsu poured in more and more of himself before it was too late.

"So... this is the sacrifice you're willing to make?" The Other mused, suddenly unsure, "Does he really mean that much to you?"

' _Yes.'_ He couldn't keep the pain out of his fading voice.

The Other hummed thoughtfully, "He will never know you. The consumption has progressed too far for you to be saved. You should already be aware of that."

Zangetsu knew. He pushed away the despair even as more of himself was part of The Hole. 'He won't know me, no. _But he'll know_ _ **you**_ _. And maybe... maybe that will be enough for me.'_

The Hole was dominating him now. He loosened his grip on The Other. It would do no good to drag it down with him. Zangetsu felt the last bit of his strength give out and allowed himself to fall.

' _Protect him. It's up to you now.'_

He submitted to the ever-expanding void.


End file.
